Kihlgren, Annica

Abstract [en]

Aim: The purpose of the study was to investigate how RN prioritizes their activities in their clinical daily work in municipal elderly care setting. Study questions was: Where are the activities performed? How much nursing are performed of non certified personal? What activities are prioritized in time? Methods: The study used a quantitative descriptive method. Data collection took place during the months of April and October during 2004 –2008. For each patient the RN had a responsibility for during the corresponding measurement month, she/ he would fill in a web-based form with data on patient's gender, age, type of housing, performed actions, and if the actions were delegated. Actions were described as keywords in the web-based form and have been assigned a certain amount of time in minutes. The specified time for each keyword were calculated on the basis of data from previously conducted time studies in the municipality. A total of 4,000 different actions were clocked by RNs working in the same area and same organization. Each action was labeled with the related keyword and a mean time for each keyword was calculated. The web-based form summarizes delegated care time and the RN’s time separately. The web-based form also documented the action RN devoted most time to. All information was stored in a database. Result: Support was the activity RN prioritized in time in clinical daily work, but there was even difference in activities depending on patient’s gender or if the patient was living in sheltered or ordinary housing. Drug administration was prioritized for female patients, coordination for patients living in ordinary housing and monitoring for patients living in sheltered housing. RN spent more time to patients in sheltered than in ordinary housing, but the biggest difference was in the delegated time. Patient in sheltered housing received almost double position so much delegated health and care time than patients living in ordinary housing. Conclusion: The study shows that RN prioritized activities to patients 80 years and elderly depending of housing and gender. The activity that was most prioritized regardless housing or gender was support, but what support means in municipal health care setting is not clear and requires more knowledge.